


Blessings

by suddenlycomics



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-05
Packaged: 2017-12-14 00:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suddenlycomics/pseuds/suddenlycomics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ashley suspects Shepard and Garrus of keeping a secret, she decides to get to the bottom of it. She never expects to hear that the Skipper and a certain Turian sniper have gotten together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blessings

It was never fun feeling like you were the only one who wasn’t in on a secret.

Ever since coming on to the Normandy, that was exactly how Ashley felt. Something was up between Shepard and Garrus, she knew that much. Sometimes she would catch them together, talking in hushed tones but they would stop whenever she came close. 

Were they still angry at her for not joining up with Cerberus back then?

She didn’t really have a good feel for where she and Garrus stood. They hadn’t talked much since she had come and he had been pretty vocal about defending the Skipper back on Horizon. However, Ashley could deal with Garrus still feeling resentful. Besides, they both were professional enough not to let that get in their way. Shepard though…

That was another matter entirely. Shepard had talked about how they needed to trust each other. If Shepard really hadn’t meant that-

“Everything alright, Ash?” Shepard asked as the door to the observation lounge swooshed opened. She walked over to the couch and took a seat next to Ashley like she did every time she made her rounds. “You look like you're pretty deep in thought over here.”

“I was just thinking about you and Garrus actually.” Ashley said and Shepard’s face fell cementing Ashley’s suspicions. “Look, I get Garrus being mad at me still but you said we needed to trust each other. However, you two are keeping something from me or am I wrong here, Skipper?” 

It was blunt but with a military father and growing up with her sisters, Ashley appreciated blunt. However, she wasn’t expecting Shepard’s reaction which was so un-Shepard like, that she couldn’t help but stare as the other woman looked down and wrung her hands- was she blushing?

“That’s not really a secret, Ash. Garrus and I are- seeing each other-dating? Why is it hard to put into words? We-um- try not to disrupt the crew.” Shepard mumbled and Ashley might have laughed if she wasn’t so surprised.

Garrus and Shepard were together? Back on the SR-1 there hadn’t been anything that might have made her predict this would happen. The two of them had become close, bonding over guns and smartass remarks once he mellowed out a bit, and after Kaidan’s death he had been the first one brave enough to try comfort her while Ashley had still been dealing with her own feelings. However, they had just been friends and Ash knew that because that was back things between her and Shepard had been easy and they stayed up late talking, going over the new guns Shepard had bought for the team, and figuring out which were the best mods for everyone. 

So it must have happened after Cerberus brought her back and everything became complicated between them.

“You and Garrus, I didn’t see that coming.” Ashley admitted, with a sigh as she relaxed for the first time since the conversation began. “You could have told me before I stuck my foot in my mouth.”

“I meant to tell you but I didn’t know how to find the right words to say that I was dating-”

“A turian?” Ashley supplied, with a quirk of her brow.

“My XO.” Shepard said with a smirk. “Come on Ash, I know you better than that.” 

Looking back, Ashley doesn’t remember who started laughing first but they both soon dissolved into fit of laughter. As they both struggled to breath between giggles (actual giggles, not that either of them would admit to it later), it felt like like that wall that had been up between them since Shepard came back was crumbling away. It’d had been too long since they had been to be so relaxed around each other and Ashley knew she had missed it more than she cared to say. It had just been too damned painful to think about before. 

“So how did you two get together?” Ashley said, bumping her shoulder against Shepard’s as they stared out at the stars. “Don’t tell me it was that comment I made about me kissing a turian.”

“What?” Shepard asked, her brow rose in confusion before she understood. “Wait, that? No, was back when Kaidan and I were…”

Ashley frowned as Shepard stopped and she looked over instantly regretting what she had said. 

“Shepard, I’m-”

“Don’t apologize. I know you didn’t mean anything by it.” Shepard replied, her eyes unfocused as she looked at nothing in particular. “I made a decision, if I dwelt on every decision I ever made I’d be a wreck.”

“Do you think you made the right call? Kaidan had rank-”

“I know I did.” Shepard replied with a small curve of her lips. Ashley knew enough about Shepard to know it wasn’t a happy smile. “Did you know Kirrahe is a Major now?”

“He mentioned it in his congratulatory email about me becoming a Specter.” Ashley said, remembering she thought he had deserved it.

“I met up with him on Sur’kesh.” Shepard continued. “Back when the Salarians refused to back us against the Reapers, he promised to move the STG to Earth at my word.”

“We’re lucky to have him. He’s a great leader and a damn good soldier.” Ashley said.

“I’m also lucky to still have you around Ash.” Shepard said, this time with an honest to God smile that made Ashley pause. “I don’t know what might have happened had I chosen differently but I do know that what I chose allowed for my friend to be here with me and show up everyone who doubted her. That is what I choose to focus on.” 

Ashley opened and closed her mouth a few times. She’d never been good with words but it wasn’t often she came up completely blank. 

“No poetry?” Shepard asked, a smirk forming on her face as she leaned back.

“The moment I find the proper poem for, “Thanks for believing in me so I can fight against giant death machines by your side”, I will let you know.”

“So nothing then.” Shepard said, grinning now as Ashley shook her head.

“I’m sure I’ll find one. It’s the spirit of the poem that counts. ” Ashley replied. “Now, I believe you were going to tell me how you started dating Garrus.” To her surprise, Shepard groaned in response, her hands flying up to her face.

“It’s so embarrassing, Ash.” Shepard said, her words coming out slightly muffled behind her hands. “We have to be the most awkward people in the damned galaxy.”

“It can’t be that bad.” Ashley said.

“He was talking about how Turians do stress relief and then I open my mouth and I say something about doing stress relief together.” Shepard let out a breath before her expression softened. “I was so worried I had just ruined our friendship but he said yes.”

“I thought you didn’t dwell on every decision you made.” Ashley replied causing Shepard to chuckle.

“I don’t but I can still feel embarrassed from time to time. Before we went to the Collector Base, we-” Shepard stopped abruptly as Ashley gave her a look that clearly said ‘I don’t want to hear about your awkward first time together.’

“The important thing is,” Shepard continued. “that we both didn’t it want it to just be stress relief. We haven’t really given what we are a name yet but I know when I found him on Menae, it was the first time I really felt like we could win this.”

There was a silence between them but it was truly comfortable for the first time in God knows how long. Ashley had studied Shepard’s face as she talked and saw how the smile on her face had reached her eyes as she talked about their relationship. It made her look years younger than Ashley had ever seen Shepard look. 

That was more than enough for Ashley.

“I’m really happy for you.” Ashley finally said. “If you find some happiness in all this, it’s a blessing and those are rare enough as it is these days.” 

“They definitely are.”


End file.
